The plan to redevelop the
Ithaca Gun Factory site was unanimously approved by the Ithaca
Common Council's Planning and Economic Development Committee
Wednesday night. The plan will attempt to rid the site of
pollution and contamination, level the abandoned gun factory
(located on Lake St. across from Gun Hill Apartments) and build 33
upscale condos in its place.
[[image|file=ithacagun.jpg|width=150|align=left]]The site has
always been a powderkeg for local environment issues, and there
have been many attempts over the years at cleaning up the site.
The area is contaminated with lead poison left over from the
former factory.
City officials estimate the cleanup will
cost around $2.4 million, but a portion of this will be covered by
Wally Diehl, who owns part of the affected land. His original plan
was to build more condiminiums, but local residents spoke out
against this proposed development, arguing that it wouldn't fit
with the rest of the neighborhood.
The Common Council and
the City of Ithaca hopes that the newly approved plan provides a
compromise that will keep all parties happy and achieve clean-
up.